The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed an appeal from Italian tennis player Stefano Battaglino against a Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) sanction imposed in October 2023.
On 12 September 2024, the CAS tribunal upheld the four-year TADP suspension issued by the first-instance independent tribunal, convened by Sport Resolutions.
Battaglino, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 760 in July 2022, tested positive for the prohibited substance clostebol and its metabolites following an in-competition test in September 2022. The CAS tribunal determined that Battaglino did not prove the source of the positive test, and that the arguments provided were “manifestly insufficient” to prove that the Anti-Doping Rule Violation was unintentional. At the request of Battaglino, the CAS decision was made based on written submissions.
Battaglino’s period of ineligibility remains unchanged, beginning on 1 February 2023 – the date of their provisional suspension - and will end at midnight on 31 January 2027.
During the period of ineligibility, Battaglino is prohibited from playing at or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.
The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance, and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.
The full decision will be published immediately after redactions for sensitive information are complete.
Ends
Published 17 September 2024 14:45
